Bottle opener



H. L. VAUGHAN BOTTLE OPENER Filed Dec. l. 1921 I z Y L. VAUGHN, 0FCHICAGG, KLIL'EIG, ASSIGNOE T0 VAUGHAN NOVELTY y hdilddd C0., @0FCHICAGO, ILLNIS, A CORPOTQION 0F ILLINOIS.

BTTLE OPEN To 'all lwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY L. VAUGHAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle Open-- ers,of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in bottle openers, and moreparticularly to devices for removing the so-called crown-cap type ofclosure ,from bottles.

The object of the invention'is to provide a simple and inexpensiveutensil of the character described whereby the removal of the caps maybe accomplished with ease, certainty and little effort on the part ofthe user.

ylhe preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in whichgig. 1 is a perspective view of theopener, an

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the opener as applied to a bottlecap immediately before pressure is applied thereto.

The opener is preferabl classed as a sheet metal article formed suItantially complete in a single stamp-ing operation.

ln general, the opener consists of a straight lever-like bar having atone end a hooked cap-engaging portion A and a handle portion B. ln theformation of the opener a strip of metal is utilized, the same beingfirst stamped out in the lform of a blank of proper conformation andthen bent into ultimate form by means of suitable dies, suchconformation being chieHy characterized by flanges C, C extending aroundthe edgesl of a body portion D, and serving chiedy to reinforce thedevice against bending when pressure is applied to the handle in theoperation of removing the cap.

The cap-engaging portion A of the opener consists of an end portion bentobliquely to the remaining portion, and provided with marginal fianges atapering slightly toward the extremity of said cap-engaging portion,which terminates in a lipv E struck inwardly and substantially at rightangles to the oblique portion in a direction generally parallel to thehandle portion B. The edge of the lip is preferably concave, as clearlyshown in Fig. 1, thereby enabling the same to fit closely against therounded surface of the bottle neck immediately beneath the crimpedsedgeof the bottle cap F shown in Fig. 2 as fitted upon the neck of thebottle G. ln order to reinforce the capengaging -portion A and preventthe same from bemg bent or otherwise distorted in use, there areprovided ribs b extending longitudinally of the oblique portion, theseribs being stamped in the metal during the orming operation.

'.llhe portions of the flanges C, C extending longitudinali of theopener and immediately adjacent t e cap-engaging portion A, are extendedtransversely and curved convexly to provide a pair of curvilinearbearing edges H, H adapted to engage the top surface of the bottle cap Fduring the operation of removing the cap, as will hereinafter be pointedout. Located intermediate the longitudinal flanges C, C, and projectingfrom the body portion D adjacent the cap-engaging portion A is ametaLstud l having a sharpened' extremity extending slightly beyond theedges of the curved bearing edges H, H. Furthermore, the stud l islocated just forward of the bearing edges H and the lip E so that onapplying the opener to a bottle cap, said stud strikes substantially thecenter of its top surface, as clearly shown in F ig. 2.

ln applying the opener to the cap F to be removed, the cap-engagingportion is first hooked over the cap so that the lip E engages beneaththe crimped edge of the said cap and the point of the stud I bearsdownwardly against the top surface of the cap. By applying a downwardpressure on the handle B it is obvious that the point of the stud l isdriven into the cap, and the bearing edges H, H are brought into contactwith the to of the bottle cap on the op site side of t e stu-d l, thusforming a lcrum intermediate the points of application of the downwardpressure and the upward force acting on the edge of the cap through thelip E. The continued pressure upon the handle B results in a rollmgcontact of the bearing edges H upon the cap, the point at which thelever action is fulcrumed shifting outwardly toward the handle as thesame. is advanced downwardly.

In describing the action of the implement in removing a bottle cap, thevarious ste s are described as taking place successive y, although inactual operation it is manifest that the removal of the cap isaccomplished in such a short s ce of time that the action issubstantially mstantaneous. However, it

is to be pointed out that the fulcruin of the, lever action is shifting,due to the rolling contact of the bearing edges H, H with the top of thecap. It is to'be further pointed out that the main function of thepointed stud I is to partially pierce the cap, thereb preventing theopener from slipping from tlie cap after it has beenv applied andpressure exerted on the handle.

It is to be noted that the operation of removing a cap vby the use of anopener herein described is accomplished by a downward pressure on thehandle rather than an upward pull, tending to lift the edge 0f the cap,as is characteristic of the more common forms of openers. The advantageof the present arrangement resides in the fact that, by virtue of theshifting fulcrum, a greater initial leverage is applied to distort thecap suiiicientl to overcome its grip upon the mouth o the bottle. Ascontinued pressure is applied and the cap gradually loses its resistance4to removal, and the leverage is automatically decreased by the shiftingof the fulcrum toward the handle, with the result that the cap is notremoved suddenly. but gives away gradually with little or no abruptmovement at the completion of the operationJ Having fully set forth theconstruction of the device and the advantages thereof, I claim as myinvention:

l. A bottle opener comprising a lever provided at one end with acap-engaging portion adapted to extend over and beneath the edges of acap and a convex bearing surface formed adjacent the cap-engaging endthereof, and adapted for rolling coni tact therewith.

2. A bottle opener comprising a lever provided at one end with a lipadapted to be engaged beneath the edge of a cap, convex transversebearing edges spaced inwardly from said lip, and a stud mountedintermediate said lip and said bearing edges and having a pointed endprojecting beyond said bearing edges.

3. A bottle opener comprising a lever having a cap-engaging port-ion atone end, and a marginal liange having extended convex portions spacedmwardly from said cap-engaging portion and a sharpened .stud fixed tosaid lever beneath said convex portions and said cap-engaging portion,the sharpened end thereof projecting beyond the edges of said convexportions.

4. A bottle opener comprising a lever, provided at one end with acap-engaging portion havin a. lip extending downwardly around sai capand engaging beneath the edge thereof, transversely spaced convexbearing edges disposed inwardly from said cap-engaging portion andadapted for rolling contact with the top of said cap, and a pointed studfixed between said conve-X hearing edges and said cap-engaging ortion,the pointed end of said stud pro]ect ing beyond said edges and adaptedto pierce the cap in the act of pressing the bearing edges into contacttherewith.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my'name this 21st day ofNovember, A.

HARRY L. VAUGHAN.

